Spotted Thick-knee

Burhinus capensis

Silhouette: Auckland Museum · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
FamilyBurhinidae (Stone-curlews and Thick-knees)
GenusBurhinus (Typical Stone-curlews)
SpeciesBurhinus capensis (Spotted Thick-knee)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Lake Nakuru National Park

6 Verified sightings at Lake Nakuru National Park From 2019 to 2026

4,118 Verified sightings across all 41 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Spotted Thick-knee

The spotted thick-knee (Burhinus capensis), also known as the spotted dikkop or Cape thick-knee, is a wader in the family Burhinidae. It is native to tropical regions of central and southern Africa. The spotted thick-knee, which can reach up to 45.5 cm (17.9 in) in height, has long legs and brown-and-white speckled plumage which provides camouflage, making it difficult to spot the bird in the grasslands and savannas where it roams. Its head is large and round with a prominent yellow eye and a short, stout beak. When in flight or standing in a characteristic position with its wings raised, it shows a striking contrasting pattern. Its legs are long and yellow and the tibiotarsal joint is expanded, giving it the name "thick-knee".

The spotted thick-knee is nocturnal and squats on the ground during the daytime, making it difficult to spot. It hunts exclusively on the ground, feeding on insects, small mammals and lizards. It nests on the ground, lining a scrape with grasses, feathers, pebbles and twigs. The female typically lays two eggs, and males and females rear the offspring together, with both bringing food back to the nest. The birds... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Lake Nakuru National Park

Vanellus armatus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Himantopus himantopus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Gelochelidon nilotica

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Vanellus spinosus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Actitis hypoleucos

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Recurvirostra avosetta

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Tringa nebularia

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Vanellus coronatus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Calidris minuta

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Chlidonias hybrida

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Calidris pugnax

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~30%
2	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
3	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
4	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
5	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
6	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
7	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~10%
8	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
9	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
10	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
11	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
12	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
13	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
14	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
15	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
16	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
17	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
18	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
19	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
20	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
21	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
22	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	<5%
23	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
24	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
25	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
26	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	<5%
27	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Insufficient data
28	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	Insufficient data
29	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
30	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
31	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	Insufficient data
32	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	Insufficient data
33	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
34	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	Insufficient data
35	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
36	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
37	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	Insufficient data
38	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
39	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
40	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
41	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	Insufficient data

← Back to Lake Nakuru National Park

Spotted Thick-knee

About the Spotted Thick-knee

Recent sightings of Spotted Thick-knee in Lake Nakuru National Park

Closest Relatives at Lake Nakuru National Park

Blacksmith Lapwing

Grey-hooded Gull

Black-winged Stilt

Gull-billed Tern

Spur-winged Lapwing

Common Sandpiper

Pied Avocet

Common Greenshank

Crowned Lapwing

Little Stint

Whiskered Tern

Ruff

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found